Trust in the school context, especially around the use of technology.

Trusted professions

I observed a lesson go wrong last week – or at least not turn out the way the presenter intended. He asked the “volunteer” who was helping to put his hand in a box.

Do I trust you enough to do what you ask?

The “volunteer” did so without hesitation. The presenter had expected some hesitation so then he would have an opening to talk about trust and being comfortable with not knowing the outcome of something. The setting was a children’s story in church.

My favourite story about a children’s story in church, however has to be the one where the preacher asks, “What is grey and furry and lives in a gum tree?” A child replies, “Well, I know the answer has to be “Jesus” but it sounds a lot like a koala.” I’m afraid it says something about the lack of inquiry and open-endedness encouraged when a child expects the answer to every question asked in church to be “Jesus”.

Anyway, in this case the preacher did a quick poll to see how many people would have put their hands in the box and the majority said they would because, as someone added, “We trust you”.

The preacher’s role put him in a position of trust. His friendly and open nature also made him a person who was viewed as someone to be trusted.

The job title of teacher is also a position of trust.

Surveys about trusted professions

Here are the results of two separate surveys conducted in Australia in 2013 about which professions are most trusted. The Reader’s Digest survey ranked teachers at number 15 (and clergy at number 38) out of 50. A Roy Morgan survey placed teachers 4th (and ministers of religion 12th) out of 30.

Teachers are one of the most trusted professions.

I’d like us to be number 1 but nurses and paramedics are hard to beat.